Photo: sputniknews.uz
Uzbekistan's government has introduced new licensing conditions for private higher education institutions under Resolution No. 403, «On Additional Measures to Improve the Quality of Non-State Educational Services in the Republic,» published by UzA.
According to the document, applicants must now submit a comprehensive concept for the proposed university. This must include the institution’s name, legal status, governance structure and staffing, main academic and research directions, admission parameters, education quality assurance system, tuition fee calculations, a five-year strategic development plan, and other key operational components.
Financial thresholds have also been established: the university must have an initial charter capital equivalent to at least $2 million, encompassing its physical infrastructure and education-related software. As enrollment grows, capital must increase proportionally. In addition, applicants must place $350,000 in reserve funds in commercial bank accounts.
The minimum area of buildings and facilities used for educational purposes must be at least 5,000 square meters. Leased facilities are permitted if the lease term is at least five years.
The resolution also stipulates how profits may be used: for the first five years after establishment, at least 80% of net annual profits must be reinvested into the institution’s core operations; afterward, this threshold drops to 50%.
Moreover, private universities are now required to submit data on every issued diploma to a centralized database maintained by the Ministry of Higher Education. Failure to comply may result in the revocation of the institution’s license.
The new rules will take effect three months after their official publication. Private universities that were licensed earlier must comply with the new regulations by January 1, 2026.
As of the 2024–2025 academic year, Uzbekistan had 222 higher education institutions (including branch campuses). Before President Shavkat Mirziyoyev came to power in 2016, the country had only 69. In February 2024, Mirziyoyev acknowledged that although access to higher education had expanded and private actors had entered the field, educational quality remained poor. He ordered a 40% reduction in undergraduate degree programs. Licensing of private universities was suspended in July 2024. At that time, according to Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation Kongratbay Sharipov, Uzbekistan had 67 functioning private universities.
